Your child needs iron in their diet to keep their blood healthy.
Iron supports healthy growth and development. It helps make new red blood cells that carry oxygen from their lungs to the rest of their body.
Babies are born with stores of iron that last about 6 months. After this, your growing child needs to get iron from the foods they eat.
Risk of anaemia
Your child may develop anaemia if they do not get enough iron in their diet. Anaemia is a lack of iron in the blood.
Studies show that half of Irish 2 year olds have low levels of iron. Almost 1 in 10 has anaemia because of this.
Symptoms of anaemia include:
- tiredness
- a poor appetite
- repeated infections
Talk to your public health nurse (PHN), GP practice nurse or GP if you have concerns about your child.
Children age 1 to 3 years who are small for their age may need extra iron.
Sources of iron
Red meat (such as beef, lamb and pork) is the best source of iron, Give it to your child 3 times per week between ages 1 to 4.
Other sources of iron include:
- poultry
- fish
- well-cooked eggs
- peas, beans and lentils
- green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli
For breakfast, give your child a porridge or cereal which has added iron. Do this most days of the week. Check the label for cereals that contain at least 12mg iron per 100g.
Add chopped berries, kiwi or orange segments. They contain vitamin C, which helps your child to absorb iron.
Food portion sizes for children age 1 to 4
Vitamin C and iron absorption
Eating foods rich in vitamin C helps our bodies absorb iron.
Good sources of vitamin C include fresh fruit and vegetables. For example, oranges, kiwis, strawberries and peppers.
Do not give liver
Liver is high in iron. But it is not recommended for babies under 12 months. This is because it contains too much vitamin A for them.
Vegan diet
All babies introduced to a vegan diet are recommended to be reviewed by a dietitian.